[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 141 (Monday, October 20, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10864-S10865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO JUDGE ADDELIAR ``DEL'' GUY

 Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
outstanding Nevadan, my friend, the late Judge Addeliar ``Del'' Guy 
III, who died last year. This extraordinary individual will receive a 
permanent honor in my State on February 5, 1998. A local school, to be 
named the Addeliar Guy Middle School, will serve as a lasting tribute 
to this remarkable man.
  In addition to serving as Nevada's first African-American judge, 
Addeliar Guy's legacy includes his role as a devoted husband, father 
and grandfather, decorated soldier, concerned citizen, community 
leader, talented litigator, and until his retirement, as an elected 
judge for the Eighth District Court of Clark County, where he served 
for 20 years.
  Judge Guy served in the Coast Guard in World War II, followed by 
active duty in the United States Army through the Korean war. While in 
the Army, Del had the chance to act as counsel for one of his fellow 
sergeants, sparking his interest in the exercise of justice. He later 
continued his military service in the Illinois and Nevada National 
Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.
  His extraordinary display of American patriotism has earned him 
another prominent memorial in our State. On July 2, my colleagues and I 
in the Nevada congressional delegation

[[Page S10865]]

presided over the dedication of the new Las Vegas Ambulatory Care 
Center for Veterans, which was named in his honor. The judge's many 
military credentials include the Purple Heart, Meritorious Award Medal, 
Korean Service Medal with two battle stars, and a Combat Infantryman's 
Badge.
  Upon leaving the Army, Del looked for work in the private sector, and 
although he had a wide range of aspirations and his experience as an 
officer qualified him for many professional jobs, those opportunities 
were closed off to him because of race. Fortunately for Nevada, he 
decided to dedicate his life to the law and received his law degree 
from Chicago's Loyola University in 1957, where in his second year, he 
set his sights on achieving what would seem to many an impossible goal, 
earning a judgeship.
  Although he once said that he would never leave Chicago, after 
attending a Young Democrats meeting in Las Vegas, he was persuaded to 
join the District Attorney's Office when he was denied a judgeship he 
was expecting in Illinois. Addeliar Guy became the first African-
American licensed to practice law in my State, and, in 1967, was 
officially admitted to the Nevada bar. In his two decades on the State 
bench, he served as Alternate Justice of the Supreme Court and in 1975 
was appointed by then Governor O'Callaghan to the newly created Eighth 
Judicial District.
  He truly believed in the law. I counted on Judge Guy's trademark 
intelligence and honesty, as well as his ability to astutely assess the 
character and behavior of others. These qualities were invaluable as he 
assisted me in selecting young Nevadans as nominees for our Nation's 
military academies.
  Much of my admiration for Judge Guy stems from his continued enduring 
commitment to people of the Silver State. Judge Guy's values are 
reflected not only in the way he lived his life, but in the many 
organizations he belonged to and served. Until his passing, he worked 
every day as a citizen-soldier, contributing to groups like the NAACP, 
the Bar Association, my Academy Board and local youth agencies. Judge 
Guy also served as a motivating force for Nevada's kids, promoting 
education through the A.D. Guy Scholarship Fund and the Nevada Spirit 
of Art Contest.
  The Honorable Addeliar Guy's lifetime of achievement is truly an 
inspiration, and he serves as an incredible role model for judicial 
prudence and legal acumen. I am confident that Nevadans will remember 
Judge Guy for his distinguished career, and I hope that the children 
passing through his namesake will be inspired by his phenomenal record 
of accomplishment and lifelong service to the State of Nevada.

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